It’s been raining today, and once again, the marina WIFI has failed.
Actually it went off-line Friday afternoon, though we have not had to report it this time as several of the other boat owners, liveaboards or not, have gone up to the office and asked for it to be reset.
This was duly done, and…………….. nothing.
Not surprising really, as the little box on the outside wall doesn’t like getting wet, though it’s probably more than that and the complete system has to be rebooted. Hubby could do it easily, has even offered, but basically he’s not allowed to touch it.
We have therefore been doing unusual things like watching DVDs, and continuing a project which seemed such a good idea but has proven to be most problematic trying to print to the size of paper required for the deed.
Still, Hubby has worked his magic, and we are almost there, just needing to purchase that final item for the finishing touch for total personalization.
The marina has actually been pretty quiet this weekend, and it is believed that the moving of boats from the other basin is due to begin next week in preparation for the upgrading work to be carried out in December/January.
You may wonder why things are being moved so early.
This is simply because those that are going ‘across the way’ have to go through the lock down river, which is actually going to be closed for vital maintenance from the end of October until February, weather permitting.
OK when the river’s like this (above), but not when it’s like this (below)!
flooded lock Dec 2015
Boats on brokerage are coming into our basin on the far side adjacent to the dog walk, but the issue of where the wide beams and live-aboard narrowboats are going to go isn’t being mentioned yet.
Live-aboards naturally are to be given preferential treatment but stacking them two or three deep out on the river isn’t practical as they become cut off when it floods here.
Pictures below from Dec 2015.
Car park/ river moorings
Our pontoon/basin
Our rank is completely full now, there are two or three places available opposite which by all accounts have been allocated to new wide beams, not existing residents, and the other slots in our ‘zip’ are cruiser size fingers, not the minimum forty feet necessary for a narrowboat.
One particular friend in her seventies is most anxious as to where she will be put as her boat is sixty feet long and awkward to access at one end. Her mooring at the moment is full length against the pontoon walkway, as is the widebeam behind her. Widebeams take up two narrowboat spaces, so that in itself poses another problem of allocating space.
We are going to be seeing a hive of activity over the coming weeks just shifting vessels, but the good news is that our berth is ‘safe’ and we should not be asked to move.
Other ‘visitors’ who moor here may not be so lucky, and if it is decided to take their boats out of the water for the winter, it’s a question of who is going to foot the bill for the lifts, both out and in.
As an added bonus, they are also intending to revamp the shower block, so as they plan to do one side at a time, the other will be used by both sexes for the duration.
There are two sides and two doors in each of the ladies and gents facilities, so probably one side will be allocated to the guys and the other to the gals. During the winter months, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem as there aren’t too many people here anyway. Again it is not clear exactly what the plans or new layouts are to be.
Overhearing some workmen discussing it in the ladies, I stuck my five eggs worth in and suggested that if they intended to have a disabled toilet/shower, they might consider something along the lines of a wet room, or a larger cubicle with a proper seat and support railings in it. At the moment, we have three showers, five hand basins, 3 butler sinks (hand washing and water access should the pontoon supply be turned off in freezing temperatures) and 6 toilets.
These guys were talking about 6 showers in the centre (they would thus be smaller than the cubicles now unless they were ‘open’ and not individual, which would not be acceptable as regards privacy), four toilets at the back, and four sinks. The butler sinks would however be staying. Again, it will be interesting to see exactly what is going to happen, and yes, I will have my camera ready to snap the event.
Watch the birdie (or in this case, boaties!)
pensitivity101 
Lots of changes ahead!
It is almost like you are speaking a foreign language, there are so many terms I have never heard of. It all sounds terribly romantic, wonderful, foot loose and free to me. I love people who have the courage of their convictions and live non-standard lives. It is so interesting and encouraging to me. The wifi issue is unacceptable though. We all have our limits after all! The Holler wifi is worse than the veld in Africa and we live in rural Southern California. Unacceptable, but reality none the less.
Bless you Cindy. Our life is certainly ‘not the norm’ but we wouldn’t change it. My nautical terminology is hopeless, but hopefully my readers ‘get my drift’. It’s going to be an interesting few months here, and heaven knows what the ducks are going to make of it!